Tires are frequently being equipped with various electronic devices for transmitting data. These devices may include RFIDs, sensors, or other electronics for conveying important information about the tire and its operating conditions. In order to transmit information, such electronic device will typically include at least one antenna.
Various methods for coupling an electronic device with a tire are available. While electronic devices may be configured about the structure of the tire, affixing the electronic device to the inner surface of the tire near the end of the manufacturing process may be preferable due to the stresses generated in the tire during, for example, molding operations. In such case, the desired electronics may be added through means of a patch applied to the inner surface of the tire after molding or at some other desirable point during manufacture. Alternatively, the patch may be applied to the inner surface after manufacture by a subsequent purchaser such as a distributor or fleet operator. By way of example, a fleet operator may wish to add an electronic device that was not provided with the tire originally.
In general, the inner surface of the pneumatic tire consists of a thin, gas impermeable inner liner or membrane. This inner liner is typically covered with one or more non-stick materials or residue. To obtain adhesion between the patch and the inner surface of the tire, these non-stick materials should be removed from the specific surface area where the patch will be applied. However, such non-stick materials form only a thin film on the inner liner. It is desirable to remove this thin film of non-stick materials without piercing through the relatively thin, inner liner. By way of example, removal of 0.3 mm or less of material may be specified in some applications. Further, it is desirable that such surface preparation is limited to the specific surface area where the patch will be applied and that a uniform amount of material is removed over this surface area.
One technique that has been employed for removal of the non-stick materials is to manually grind or buff the surface of the inner-liner. More specifically, an operator marks the desired location for the patch on the inner surface of the tire using, for example, a template. An ink or marking fluid is applied to mark the desired surface. The operator then uses a hand-held grinder to manually buff the surface. Skill is required to restrict the grinder to only the desired surface marked with the template. For example, the torque applied to the operator upon contact between the grinder and the tire surface will cause the grinder to rapidly move along the tire surface and then potentially outside the desired surface area if not restricted by the operator. Furthermore, the operator must control the amount of pressure and time spent at a given location in order to remove material uniformly throughout the desired surface area. In addition, the grinding process creates dust or particles that can cover the marks created by the template and otherwise increase the complexity of this manual operation.
Accordingly, an apparatus that assists an operator with removal of non-stick materials from the inner surface of a tire is desirable. More particularly, an apparatus that allows the operator to more precisely control the surface area contacted by the grinder as well as the depth of material removed within such surface area is needed. Such a device that also is adjustable for various tire sizes and that also provides for removal of dust or other particulates during grinding is also desirable.